Hello! It's been a while since I've been on fanfiction, but college keeps me busy. I am still working on my older fanfics, but I wanted to play around with the Hakuouki SSL universe, so here's a new fanfic for you guys! And just because I've neglected to write regularly, I'll post chapter 2 shortly after (in like a few minutes)!

This story is about a love triangle involving Chizuru, Souji, and Hijikata. Instead of the dark and dangerous approach I use in my other fanfics, this story will be more lighthearted and hopefully funnier (so this was made with the objective of making you guys fangirl). This is written in the first-person perspective with Chizuru being the obvious narrator/protagonist. So without giving much away, have fun reading this!

One last thing, full phrases in italics are Chizuru's thoughts.

As always, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Caught in Love's Trap

The cold hardness of the tile floor made it uncomfortable to kneel, but this was the only way I could silence any unnecessary sounds I made. I was doing my best to keep quiet so I wouldn't be discovered, and standing behind the corner of the wall could possibly expose my position if I shifted between feet to lean on too much. So I resorted my knees to the floor, plus it didn't require as much energy. But the longer I kneeled, the more it felt as though the frigidness would numb my knees completely. Nevertheless, I ignored such hindrances and focused on the task at hand.

"Hey Toshi, don't you think you're overworking yourself? I mean, it is your fourth day in a row that you've stayed after office hours", Principal Kondou's words echoed softly in the quiet and almost empty hallway. The tone of his voice suggested he was concerned for his friend and coworker, but it wasn't the principal I was interested in…

He had said "Toshi", and my chest warmed with enthusiasm and excitement after knowing that the one I was longing to see was standing out there as well. I held my breath and only dared to peek out from the corner I was hiding behind to see him.

"Kondou-san, are you forgetting that I'm also the vice-principle? I don't go home right away like all of the other teachers. Got too much damn work that needs to be done, or else everything will turn to shit -permanently, I might add", Hijikata-sensei chuckled softly yet masculine enough to still maintain his steely demeanor. A ghost of a smirk pulled his lips back for only a tiny fragment of a second, but it was enough to make my heart pound unusually loud.

Hijikata-sensei…my secret and precious love. Unrequited love, more specifically, since I was pretty sure he didn't know anything about the feelings I had for him, which I've kept stowed away in my heart since that day.

On that day, it had only been a week since I've started school at Hakuou Academy as a first-year student. Of course, the first week of high school was supposed to be nerve wrecking for every incoming student, but my week was more than a little traumatizing compared to my peers. After graduating from an all-girls middle school, my childhood friend, Heisuke-kun, convinced me to enroll in Hakuou Academy. It was close to home and I knew Heisuke-kun and my twin brother, Kaoru-san, would be first-years there as well, thus it was convenient and practical for me to attend.

At first, my mind was set on Shimabara Academy since I have friends I know there too, and at the time Hakuou Academy was an all-boys school. Shimabara Academy was a little ways from my house and the tuition was expensive, but the timing couldn't have been better as Hakuou Academy finally transitioned into a co-ed setting. Things couldn't have gotten better than that, or so I thought.

To my unplanned misfortune, I was the only girl student at school, literally. Apparently, word about the school's change into a co-ed environment did not spread well enough, or if it had, no other girl besides me was interested in going.

So my first week at Hakuou Academy was many things but cozy. A few classmates didn't make things easier for me as they began to pick on me for fun. For the most part I ignored them, but one day after classes had ended, I forgot my notebook in Hijikata-sensei's room. The class was empty, and it was easy enough to retrieve my notebook, but my way out was challenging and frightening.

The boys who had picked on me all week were in their soccer uniforms, and they must have been ditching practice or -I don't know what- but they found me and decided to harass me. They made it clear that I didn't belong in a sea of men and ridiculed my decision for enrolling at this school. They even went as far as saying that I couldn't get into Shimabara Academy because I wasn't feminine enough. Rationally, I knew their words shouldn't have mattered, but somehow they had managed to shatter my confidence. I didn't know what to do at the moment, and before they made a grab for my arm to harass me further, Hijikata-sensei had walked into the classroom.

His presence alone halted the boys dead in their tracks, and his admonishing glare to them was the most intimidating stare I had ever seen. He didn't even need to yell at them because the ice in his voice was enough to have the boys quivering in fear. He was no ordinary man. It wouldn't have surprised me if he had a spine made from steel.

After Hijikata-sensei sent them to Principle Kondou's office, the tears that I had in my eyes didn't fall out because I was so surprised and mesmerized. It was hard to breathe or even focus on anything in particular at all, but his violet eyes held me in place and the air he gave off was cool and calm. He made sure I was all right and promised me that the boys from earlier wouldn't bother me again. Before I could feel completely at ease around him, he then reprimanded me for not coming to him earlier about the boys, but somehow I could sense the kindness and concern in his frigid eyes and firm voice.

After that day, I've been paying attention to every move he made at school, and soon enough I found myself in love with him. Just seeing him in class or in the hallway warmed my chest, and I woke up early every morning excited to see him again. I knew it was silly of me to crush on my teacher, but I told myself it was a harmless love -so long as I kept my feelings to myself. Not to mention the amount of problems that could arise if he knew my feelings, but it would be better for him to remain unaware because I feared rejection. To him I was just another student, not even being his only female student made me special. I accepted that truth a while ago, but even so, admiring him from afar couldn't be so bad, so I figured.

Today I had given into my temptation to see him a little more and stayed after school without anyone knowing I was here. That was why I was acting childish and hiding behind a wall to crave my secret urges slightly further. I knew my actions were strange and greedy, but for some unexplainable reason I couldn't help myself.

I was so lost in daydreaming about the past that I hadn't noticed Principle Kondou had already left Hijikata-sensei's office, leaving my crush all alone to work on whatever it is that vice-principals do after classes are over. The door to his office was shut and his blinds were closed, which meant my sight seeing fun was over for today. Almost sadly, I finally got up from the floor and adjusted my school bag over my shoulder. For as long as I could, I held my lingering gaze on Hijikata-sensei's door. Until I see you again tomorrow…

I sighed heavily in some sad way of defeat, now ready to head back home. As I began to turn, I caught a quick bright light flashing out on me from the corner of my eye, which was shortly followed by an artificial sound of a camera snapping.

"Huh?", my eyes followed the source of the light and sound, and I found a blue smartphone facing me squarely. Before I could register what was going on, my eyes landed on the owner of the phone, who had a roguish smile on his lips.

"Gotta say, Chizuru-chan, you picked a pretty boring hobby of stalking Hijikata-san", despite the cattiness directed toward the vice-principal, the light-hearted voice that spoke to me was distinguishable.

"O-Okita-senpai?!", I nearly gasped his name as beads of sweat started to break out on my face and neck. Did he just say "stalking"?!

"Yep, that's my name", he grinned at me with a sort of childish disposition, purposefully ignoring my surprise to see him.

"What are you doing here?!", I tried to keep my voice as low as I could, but I couldn't contain my anxiousness.

"I could ask you the same exact thing. What are you doing here, Chizuru-chan?", Okita-senpai carried on with a normal room-level voice, unaware of or ignoring the fact that someone –specifically Hijikata-sensei- might overhear us.

"Please stop saying my name so loudly! Someone will hear you!", I whispered harshly in panic. Something in my reaction lit a sort of fire in Okita-senpai's emerald-green eyes, and his smirk became more mischievous than before.

"Oh? Are you trying to keep a secret from someone?", he feigned surprise, but his eyes bore into mine with uncanny interest. It was clear to me that he had some idea of my enthrallment toward Hijikata-sensei. Caught red-handed by my peer, I could feel cold sweat running down my back, and my cheeks were reddening hotly.

"N-No! That's not it!", I tried to deny his words.

"Really…" he said flatly, not taken even the slightest by my lie.

"Can we just go somewhere else and talk?", I tried to make a move to leave, but Okita-senpai wouldn't budge from his spot.

"Why? What's wrong with talking here-?", before he continued torturing me, I grabbed the sleeve of his green sweater and began to somewhat drag him out of the building. It was rather bold of me, but I was so desperate to get out of there! Okita-senpai's momentary surprise faded away when he began chuckling behind me and intently resisting my pull on his sleeve every now and then.

Somehow, and miraculously, we made it outside the school without being spotted. I released Senpai's sleeve and pressed my hands on my face in lame attempt to cover my flushed face. I was so embarrassed and nervous! The tension that hung in the air between Okita-senpai and me was thick and heavy; I almost couldn't breathe because of it.

My hands finally left my face, and I shyly glanced up to Okita-senpai, who was smiling down at me laconically. He knows! He definitely knows my secret! He even took a picture of me outside of Hijikata-sensei's office!

"U-Um… Did you see me doing…something outside Hijikata-sensei's office?", I tried to verbalize the matter at hand indirectly.

"…Something like…stalking him?", Okita-senpai hit the bull's-eye and grinned knowingly at me. I jumped a little after hearing him say "stalking" again.

"I-I wasn't stalking him! I was… I was just…" my mind ran with excuses to voice out, but everything I thought of jumbled together all at once and eventually disappeared. I fell silent and trained my eyes on the pavement.

"You like him, don't you?", I heard Okita-senpai ask me.

"I-I, um…", it was difficult to admit, especially to Okita-senpai of all people.

Yes I knew him, but not very well. I had just met him this school year due to ties he had with Heisuke-kun, and for the most part he wasn't entirely interested in my whereabouts or me. We didn't see each other a lot in school, granted that he's a second-year so we don't have classes together. But in almost all encounters I've had with him, he never misses the chance to tease or embarrass me. Now that he knew my feelings for Hijikata-sensei, I'm sure he won't ever let me hear the end of it.

"Please…don't tell anyone about this….", I couldn't bear to look into Okita-senpai's eyes as I said it. I felt pathetic begging for his silence, but what other choice did I have? Shame and fear seemed to have shrunk me down in size while standing next to his tall figure. All sorts of troublesome thoughts plagued my head endlessly. What if he tells someone about my crush? Will he humiliate me? Or worse, will he tell Hijikata-sensei directly?!

"Hmm… I'll consider it", Okita-senpai stated simply. My eyes shot to his immediately.

"You'll consider it? That's not fair", I practically whined without thinking through my actions. He'll consider it? No way… I needed a yes or no answer to at least confirm my fate. It wouldn't be fair if he just left me in the dark while forcing me to helplessly watch the unknown events unfold.

"Relax kid, I was just screwin' with you."

Okita-senpai's smile was oddly different this time; it seemed…nice? It was only until then that I realized how on edge I was. He was right; I needed to relax. But how exactly could I calm down and relax while pretending that nothing was wrong?

"I don't get what you see in a guy like Hijikata-san, but none of that is really any of my business, nor do I really care", his voice and face didn't betray his apathy toward the whole issue. Still, I couldn't help but wonder what he had against the vice-principle, but I didn't dare pry into it.

"So you'll just forget the whole thing ever happened…and delete that picture of me you took?", there was no way I could forget about the evidence he had of me "stalking" Hijikata-sensei.

"Well, I didn't say that either. Photography is my specialty", he snickered. Wait, what?

"Then you-!"

"I could always delete the picture…if you do something for me", Okita-senpai interrupted me in mid-sentence.

"Do what exactly…?", I asked suspiciously. Considering his options, Okita-senpai lifted a hand to stroke his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm… I don't yet."

"Eh?!"

"Hey there, I'm sure I'll think of something for you to do eventually… Ah! I just thought of it", he turned to me with a grin plastered on his face and held his hand out to me expectantly.

"Wh-What?", I didn't understand what he was trying to do.

"Give me your cellphone", he stated for me.

"You want my phone?", I raised a brow at him while hesitantly reaching into my bag for my white flip phone. He rolled his eyes at me emphatically before softening them again.

"I don't want to keep it; I only need to borrow it for a moment", he assured me with calm, serene eyes. I wasn't sure why at that moment, but I had to admit that his eyes were a beautiful weapon.

Sighing heavily, I handed my phone to him.

"Thanks", he smiled at me again before busying himself with my phone. After a few moments, he then pulled out his own phone and began doing something similar to it as well. Just what was he doing?

"There, now you have my number and I have yours", he grinned triumphantly as he handed me back my phone.

"Just what exactly are you planning to do with my number?", I couldn't prevent worry from seeping through my voice.

"It's not rocket science. I'm going to call and message you whenever I feel like it", Okita-senpai stated as-so-matter-of-factly.

"Wh-Why…?"

"I have a good feeling you'll be entertaining", he closed his eyes as he smiled at me innocently. Just when the fire in my cheeks had calmed down it roared back up again.

What kind of reason was that of his? Before I could ask, Okita-senpai spun on his heel and walked off on his own.

"I'll see you later, Chizuru-chan", he waved me goodbye without turning his head to face me, and soon he was out of sight.

Alone again, I tried to process everything that had just happened. What on earth did Okita-senpai mean when he said that he felt I'd be entertaining to him? More importantly, would he really stay quiet about my not-so-secret crush on Hijikata-sensei? Even as I thought of all sorts of questions, I couldn't find an answer for any of them.

Not wanting to run into more unexpected happenings, I walked as fast as I could back to my home…

…

…At last, morning of the next day came, though I wasn't as entirely enthusiastic as usual. I was nearly up all night thinking about yesterday's events, and to be honest I was still quite nervous. At least it was Friday, and if nothing terrible happened today, then that would leave me time over the weekend to forget about my run-in with Okita-senpai. With that in mind, I got ready for school and walked out the door.

I usually walked by myself since Kaoru-san –whenever he was staying at my house- always left for school earlier ever since he joined the school's Disciplinary Committee. Sometimes I would walk with Heisuke-kun, but there would be days when he would accidently sleep-in for various reasons (most of the time being because he stayed up late playing video games). Today, however, I hardly minded being alone. Because I was still frazzled by yesterday, it would be better if no one noticed me in this weird stage.

I just had to get through today…

…I arrived at school several minutes later than usual, but luckily I was still on time. Homeroom flew by after distracting myself with my English book and chitchatting with one of my classmates, Ibuki-san. Funny enough that I was able to maintain a normal conversation so long as it wasn't about Hijikata-sensei or Okita-senpai.

Homeroom was the only relief I had of the day, though. Walking through the school's hallways in between classes was the most grueling part. My routine hadn't changed, in fact, everything was normal. What was strange was that now I was suddenly noticing Okita-senpai fairly often. Perhaps I hadn't noticed him before on normal days, but after yesterday he seemed to be everywhere. Whether he was talking to his friends or walking to another class, his presence was unnerving. I tried to ignore him as best as I could, but somehow I couldn't shake away the feeling that he was watching me. Just ignore him and act like he's not there, I told myself repeatedly.

The other arduous part of my day was my class with Hijikata-sensei. Class resumed normally, and Hijikata-sensei certainly wasn't aware of any of my distress. I knew he didn't know about my feelings for him, but I couldn't stop myself from dreading the outcomes if he did know. Stop it! He doesn't know anything, so calm down. I was losing it, and I couldn't go on like this forever. I pushed aside my feelings as best as I could and focused most of my attention on note taking for the rest of class.

As if school would never end, the bell signifying the end of the day finally rang, all the more sounding like heavenly music to my ears. It was now the weekend! Aside from homework, there would be nothing to stress about. As I walked through the halls to leave the building, a classmate from my class with Hijikata-sensei stopped me.

"Hey, can you do me a huuuge favor?"

"Um, sure, what is it?", there was no reason for me to turn him down.

"Can you run this up to Hijikata-sensei for me? I'm going on vacation this weekend and I'm about to miss my train!"

"W-Wait a minute!", as I faltered in speech, suddenly my classmate set a heavy stack of papers in my arms and ran out the school's entrance before I could refuse.

"Thank you! I owe you one!", I heard him yell out before he disappeared completely. I was left speechless with my mouth hanging open. Oh no! Why did it have to be Hijikata-sensei?! A class with him was already more than I could handle, but what was I to do about the favor I had initially said I would do?

My stomach fluttered uneasily, but there was no other choice. I bit my lip as I awkwardly made my way to Hijikata-sensei's office…

…The door was closed and the blinds were shut by the time I arrived, which meant he was busy working. Now I felt worse about being here because I would be interrupting him. No matter, I just had to get this over with quickly. I swallowed hard and reached a timid hand to knock on the door. But before my hand met the door, it suddenly flew open, and standing right in front of me was none other than Hijikata-sensei.

"Hey! Where's my trash bin?!", he yelled out to any staff member listening. I shivered at the power of his voice –almost dropping the stack of papers I had with me- and felt considerably smaller as his shadow cloaked me. He finally peered down at me, obviously not expecting to see me.

"Hn? Yukimura? What do you want?", his icy voice was sharp and to the point. The sudden attention he had on me gripped every single nerve in my body, and I grew afraid that he might be able to hear thundering heart.

"U-Um…", I was too stunned to speak.

"If you have something to say just spit it out already. I don't have all day", his brows furrowed deeper and his eyes pinned me like needles.

"This is for you…", I looked down as I handed over the stack of papers. He eyed me for a moment before collecting the stack.

"Damn, it's this kid's responsibility to turn these into me not yours", his stern voice did nothing to ease me.

"S-Sorry!", I bowed my head, and my cheeks flared with sheer embarrassment.

"What're you apologizing for? It's not your fault. Besides, I presume you're doing a favor for someone, am I right?", his change of tone was small, but it struck me as another kind gesture. Suddenly I forgot my fears and stresses of the day and focused on him and only him.

"I just don't want the boys thinking that just because you're the only girl here that they can throw all of their responsibilities onto you."

"R-Really, it's no problem…", I waved my hands dismissively while laughing nervously. What I did only seemed to make Hijikata-sensei angrier.

"But it is a problem. They should know that you're no different than they are. You're a student just like everybody else here, so any kind of special treatment is intolerable", his tone was solid and unwavering. I didn't understand why he was making such a big deal out of this, but his words settled down my nerves, and for once I felt like I belonged in Hakuou Academy. His welcoming words –though not sweet or refined- made my heart soar with love for him.

"Thank you", I bowed respectfully to him while smiling. My next move was to leave, but my eyes suddenly caught sight of something else in his hand. It seemed to be an envelope of some kind, only with a big, pompous heart on the cover. From what I could see, it was addressed to Hijikata-sensei, and the other name on it seemed to have been…a girl's? A tiny shred of doubt sent chills down my back.

Was that a love letter?

Hijikata-sensei eventually realized what I was looking at and tried to hide it under his arm. I was unsure of what to do, but that's when the custodian, Shimada-san, appeared with a trash bin in his hand.

"Sorry for taking your trash bin away, Hijikata-san. But I had to empty it since it was full, and I cleaned it while I had the chance."

"Don't worry about it, I just had to throw some things away", Hijikata-sensei took the bin from Shimada-san and threw the "love letter" into it. Strangely a part of me was relieved after that.

"Another letter? The girls at Shimabara seem to fancy you a lot", Shimada-san chuckled.

Another letter?!

"I honestly don't know why. Don't they realize that teachers aren't that rich to buy them luxurious knick-knacks? Not only that, I'm almost double their age; don't have to add much to that to understand why it can't work", Hijikata-sensei leisurely carried on his conversation with Shimada-san.

"Well you're a good-looking and smart man, it's natural they'd fall for you. And since you go to Shimabara Academy constantly for teacher meetings, of course they'll write to frequent visitors", Shimada-san at that point could hardly contain his laughs.

"Why does it seem like you're trying to find a ray of light in all of this? Teacher and student relationships don't work; it's that simple", I knew Hijikata-sensei's words were spoken with sense and reason, but they hit me with the force of a punch.

I'd known all along that teacher and student romances could never work, so why couldn't I accept his words so easily and move on. All I had for him was a simple and secret crush that could do no harm, yet why did it feel like my heart was being twisted apart?

"I have to go…", I excused myself and began to walk away from Hijikata-sensei's office. My nose was suddenly stuffy, and I could feel the beginnings of tears forming in the corners of my eyes. I bit my lip in desperate attempt to stifle a sob.

"Don't stay out too late, and be safe", from behind, I heard Hijikata-sensei send me away, completely and utterly unaware of the damage I had within me…

So there's chapter one with a bit of a sad end, but don't worry! Chapter 2 will hopefully lift your spirits! Also, I apologize for grammar errors within the text if there were any (proof-reading is a luxury I can't always have due to time), and the same thing goes for chapter 2.

Please review! This is helpful to me in soooo many ways by showing your support and/or helping me improve my writing for the next chapters to come. Thank you!

And before I turn you over to chapter 2, you can almost always catch me on my tumblr blog, hakuoukiandmocha11. There you can see what I'm up to in case I'm slow on updating.

So...as always, have an awesome day!